Upcoming
Events
Do you want to list an
event on Onzuka.com?
Contact Us
(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2007
10/6/07
Punishment In Paradise
18
(MMA &
Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
7/13/07
Punishment In Paradise
17
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
4/27/07
Punishment In Paradise
16
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
3/24/07
Garden Island Cage Match
5
(MMA)
(Kauai)
2/9/07
Punishment In Paradise
15
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
1/14/07
NAGA Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
2006
12/31/06
Pride FC Shockwave
(PPV)
IFL 2hr Championship Show
(Fox Sports TV)
12/30/06
UFC 66
(PPV)
12/9/06
Grapplers Quest West X
(All Sport Arena, Las Vegas, NV)
12/2/06
Aloha State Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Klum Gym, UH)
12/1/06
Icon Sport
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
11/25/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
11/24/06
Punishment In Paradise 14
(MMA &
Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
11/19/06
The Quest for Champions
(Sport Jujitsu, Submission Grappling)
(St. Louis High School Gym)
IFL (11/4 event)
(Fox Sports TV)
11/18/06
UFC
65: Bad Intentions
(PPV)
11/11/06
The Ultimate Fighter 4: Finals
(Spike TV)
11/5/06
Pride Bushido 13
(PPV)
11/4/06
Stand
Up Martial Arts (SUMA)
(Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
November TBA
RWE
Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Maui)
10/28/06
Palolo Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
10/21/06
Pride Fighting Championships:
The Real Deal
(PPV)
(Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV)
RWE Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Hilo)
10/14/06
Kickin It
2-4PM
(Kickboxing)
&
Got Skills 5
7-10PM
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Wrestling/Sub Grappling)
(Ilima Intermediate, Ewa Beach)
UFC 64: Unstoppable
(PPV)
Pacific
Island Showdown
International Invitational Ultimate Full-Contact Stickfighting
Championship
(Stickfighting)
(Filipino Community Center Ballroom, Waipahu)
HLTC Olympic
Sport Taekwondo Seminar
(Taekwondo)
(Kihei Public Charter School Auditorium – 300 Ohukai Road
#209- Kihei, Maui)
10/13/06
RWE Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Katchafire Concert,
Guam)
10/10/06
Ultimate Fight Night
(Spike TV)
10/8/06
IFL (9/23
event)
(Fox Sports TV)
10/7/06
Hawaii Fighting Championships: “Stand Your Ground I”
(Kickboxing/Jiu Jitsu/MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
10/6/06
X-1 Battlegrounds
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
10/2/06
IFL 2 hr
Special
(Fox Sports TV)
9/30/06
Jason "Mayhem" Miller Seminar
(HMC)
9/24/06
IFL (9/9 event)
(Fox Sports TV)
9/23/06
UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn 2
Arrowhead Pond,
Anaheim, California
9/16/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
9/9/06
Punishment In Paradise 13
Unfinished Business
(Kickboxing, MMA)
(Dole Cannery Square Ballroom)
9/2/06
Icon Sport 47
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
8/26/06
Got Skills 3
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Takedowns/Submission Grappling)
(Ilima Intermediate, Ewa Beach)
Palolo Gym Smoker
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
UFC 62
(MMA)
(PPV)
8/21/06
UFC 62 Countdown: Liddell vs. Sobral
(Spike)
UFC: All Access Renato "Babalu" Sobral
(Spike)
8/18/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
8/17/06
Ultimate
Fight Night 4
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
The Ultimate Fighter 4:
The Comeback Premiers
(Spike)
8/12/06
Hawaiian Open of
BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/5/06
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Garden Island Cage Match 4
(MMA)
(Kauai)
Island
Warriors Fighting Championship
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/28/06
RWE & PXC
(MMA)
(University of Guam Fieldhouse, Mangilao, Guam)
7/22/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/21/06
Punishment In Paradise 12
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/?/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night 2
(MMA)
(San Diego, CA)
7/8/06
Ring of Honor
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Waianae H.S. Gym)
7/7/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
UFC 61
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
7/3/06
Got Skills 2
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Wrestling/Sub Grappling)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom)
s 2006 Tournament
(Sport-Jujitsu, Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling, Extreme Sparring)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
7/1/06
Pride
(MMA)
(Saitama Super Arena)
6/24/06
The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale
(MMA)
(The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV)
6/17/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Afook
Chinen Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
USA-Boxing Hawaii
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
6/10/06
X-1 Battlegrounds 4
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/4/06
PRIDE Bushido 11: 'Bushido
Survival '06'
(PPV)
6/3/06
X-2 Extreme Wars:
Bay Area Brawl
(MMA)
(Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
2006 Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Associations Gi Tournament
(BJJ)
(Gracie Main Academy)
5/27/06
UFC 60:
Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes
(PPV)
5/26/06
Icon Sport 45
(MMA)
(Blaisdell 6Arena)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
5/13/06
Got Skills Fighter Event
(MMA)
(Pagoda Hotel)
4/29/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night
(MMA)
(ipayOne center , former San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, CA)
4/21/06
Rumble on the Rock
11: Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/15/06
UFC 59: Reality Check
(MMA)
(Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA)
4/7-9/06
2006
Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
4/6/06
Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV
(MMA)
(Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
4/1/06
Punishment in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park)
3/26/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
3/11/06
Hawaiian Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
Full Contact Showdown
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base)
3/4/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Venue TBA)
2/26/06
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/4/06
Kick it Up
(Kickboxing)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu)
UFC 57:
Liddell vs. Couture 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/27/06
So You Think You Tough
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kona Gym, Kona)
January
Grappler's Quest Hawaii
(Submission Grappling)
(TBA)
***Cancelled*** |
|
October 2006 News
Part 3
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 7:00PM
***NEW TIME***
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Fight
To Defend Mixed Martial Arts In Hawaii!
The Hawaii Government
is trying to ban or restrict MMA in Hawaii. Please contact your local representative and
let them know that you support MMA in Hawaii. Click the link
below to look up your Representative and his contact info!
HB3223 has been
passed with Amendments. Basically the bill has been rewritten
to create a MMA Commission to regulate MMA in Hawaii and passed
on to the Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee and the
Judiciary Committee for further hearings.
Get
all the details concerning the two MMA Bills by clicking here
|
Got a question for us? Email info@onzuka.com
or click here to send us
an email
|
10/31/06
Happy Halloween! |
Quote
of the Day
"You
can take a chance with any man who pays his bills on time."
Terence, 185-159 B.C., Roman Writer of Comedies
|
Drive
Safely!
I know
Halloween is party time for most of our readers so please think
before you drink. We want you to make sure you come home safe
so that you can read our page. heh heh.
Seriously,
if you are going to drink stop early so that you have time to
sober up before you drive home or better yet, go with someone
that doesn't drink so that they can be your designated driver.
You can still have a lot of fun without being blasted, but if
you get blasted, take a cab home. |
BART
PALASZEWSKI READY FOR IVAN MENJIVAR
Since the IFL’s debut earlier this year one of the more
recognizable fighters has been Quad City Silverbacks lightweight
Bart “Bartamus” Palaszewski.
Coming
out guns blazing in his first bout against John Shackleford in
April, Palaszewski hasn’t let up, winning all three of his
IFL fights including the two that helped lead the Silverbacks
to the first ever World Team Tournament Championship.
With
their win this past September over Renzo Gracie’s New York
Pittbulls, the Silverbacks are headed to the WTT semi-finals
on November 2nd in Portland, Oregon to take on the Carlos Newton
coached Toronto Dragons where Bart is set to lock horns with
highly regarded Ivan Menjivar.
MMAWeekly
caught up with Palaszewski during the team’s last week of
hard training before heading to Oregon to discuss his most recent
fight, his team, and his legendary coach, Pat Miletich.
MMAWeekly:
First off Bart talk to us about your split decision win this
past September over Marcio Feitosa, how do you feel about that
fight?
Bart
Palaszewski: I wasn’t happy at all to tell you the truth.
The biggest mistake I made in that fight was underestimating
the guy. I thought he was just a jiu-jitsu guy and wouldn’t
have much, but after the fight I thought about it and was like,
“yeah he’s just a jiu-jitsu guy – but – he’s
a World Champion jiu-jitsu guy in Abu Dhabi and everything.”
I
also think there was a lot of ring rust as well. I hadn’t
fought for four months and that’s the longest break in my
career ever. Between the ring rust and underestimating him I
don’t think I prepared right for him.
Going
back to not being happy with it, I’ve really picked it up
for this [upcoming] fight. I’ve done a lot more training,
strength and conditioning, I picked up a new coach for that.
I’ve done a lot more mitts and Thai pads, just busting my
butt so what happened in my last fight will never happen again.
MMAWeekly:
How do you feel overall about the Silverbacks’ performances
against the Pittbulls?
Bart
Palaszewski: I think we did well. We did move on even though
a couple of our guys lost. [Ryan] McGivern just got caught; he
was dominating but just got caught. That’s how fights go
sometimes, one minute you’re winning, dominating, and the
next you get hit with a punch or something. For us it’s
a team effort, we try to win each fight and go 5-0 every time,
but if you don’t we all depend on each other for winning
the bracket and moving on.
MMAWeekly:
Being one of the original IFL fighters from last season, how
would you say your experience has been so far with the promotion?
Bart
Palaszewski: It’s great; they’re really about the fighters/athletes.
They really take care of us financially and if we need something
or have any questions about anything they are there for us no
matter what. You can always call the right people for different
things. They’re super-nice and they really take care of
us…that’s the main thing, it’s all about us.
MMAWeekly:
Of course it’s got to feel good also to get your fights
on TV.
Bart
Palaszewski: I think it’s great. To get on TV that’s
what everybody’s going for. If people have a choice of paying
30 dollars or watching something free on basic cable/satellite,
most likely most people would rather check it out for free.
MMAWeekly:
Have you noticed any difference in the level of recognition you’ve
been getting since the IFL debuted on FSN?
Bart
Palaszewski: I think so; I’ve been getting more exposure
from the local MMA communities I think mostly. It’s great,
but also somebody will walk up to me on the street and say, “hey
I saw your fight and keep up the good work,” and it just
makes me feel great. Most importantly the MMA communities, the
fans are keeping it going and keeping the sport alive.
MMAWeekly:
Okay let’s talk about your upcoming fight against Ivan Menjivar.
What are your thoughts about this match?
Bart
Palaszewski: I’m very excited about this fight. My instructor
Jeff Curran fought him in ’02 and lost a decision, it’s
been about five years so I’m sure Ivan’s improved on
a lot of things. I’ve always wanted to fight him…always
wanted to fight him. It’s not like a grudge thing, but he’s
one of the top contenders out there and I want to work my way
up and he’s one of the top ten or top five guys.
I
think it will be a great fight. He’s very athletic, fast,
likes to throwdown and is a great jiu-jitsu guy. I’m not
sure about his takedowns, I’ve only seen some highlight
videos and they didn’t show any of his takedowns, but I’m
expecting a good fight.
MMAWeekly:
He’s kind of a late addition to the Dragons; do you think
that will have any influence on the fight?
Bart
Palaszewski: It’s not really late notice…I’d known
for a while that I wasn’t going to fight the guy from the
last show. I knew it was going to be somebody else and I was
hoping it was going to be Menjivar and when they said it was
going to be him I got real excited. I was actually up in Canada
for Jeff’s fight when they told me and I actually met Ivan
the day after they signed him. He’s a super-nice guy and
I’m looking forward to the fight.
MMAWeekly:
When we spoke to Ivan shortly after he was signed he mentioned
how when he met you he was surprised by how big you are, do you
think your size advantage will play a factor in this fight?
Bart
Palaszewski: I’m going to use all the tools I can. If I
can use my reach, I’ll use my reach, if we clinch and I
feel a stronger I’ll throw him around/muscle him around
a little bit. Hopefully it doesn’t come down to that because
I’m looking to throwdown with him. In the highlight videos
I saw it looks like he can throw, so I want to throw and make
it an exciting fight. I want to win of course, so if I see a
submission I’ll not pass it, but if we can keep slugging
away I’ll take that.
Going
back to the size, I’m not cutting a lot of weight for this
fight. I’ve got a new trainer who put me on a new diet and
I’m walking around lighter. I was 175lbs before I think
and now I’m 165lbs, so it’s not going to be much of
a weight advantage and Ivan for a 145lb fighter is a big guy.
MMAWeekly:
So no hitting late night McDonalds with big Ben Rothwell huh?
Bart
Palaszewski: No [laughs]…I can’t remember the last
time I had McDonalds [laughs].
MMAWeekly:
How do you feel about the Silverback’s overall chances against
the Dragons?
Bart
Palaszewski: I feel good. A fight is a fight is a fight and we
have just as good of a chance as they do. You never know until
we step out there because we all have tough fights. The whole
Canadian team is really tough, but we’ve been going good
so far…we’re the defending Champions so obviously we’re
doing something right.
MMAWeekly:
One thing many people have noticed this season compared to last
is that teams are fallowing the Silverbacks’ suit and are
beginning to train together on a more consistent basis. How important
do you feel it’s been that you guys all train together?
Bart
Palaszewski: I think it’s very important. This whole thing
is a “team” competition, that tells you right there.
Training together is important because of team comradery; everybody
being friends and brothers is what we’re looking for. Everybody
can coach each other, point out each other’s mistakes and
work on them, and get each other’s spirits up before and
after the fights.
There’s
five different weight classes, so we can’t all train physically
together, but we’re all watching out for each other and
keeping a close eye out for each other. Every fight is important
and if one person loses a fight you could lose in your bracket
and be out for the season, so being there for each other helps
keep everyone on top of their game.
MMAWeekly:
Working with MMA living legend Pat Miletich probably doesn’t
hurt either.
Bart
Palaszewski: It’s great because Pat’s been there, done
that, he’s been a champ and he knows everything about the
sport. It’s great to have him as a coach because he’s
got great jiu-jitsu, wrestling and stand-up and a great eye for
coaching which is really important.
Coaching
I think is harder than being a fighter because you’ve got
to keep your eye on 20-30 guys and remember who makes mistakes
and make sure they clean it up and he’s really great at
that. He points out every little detail and mistakes I make and
really stays on top of us and make sure if something needs to
get done it gets done.
MMAWeekly:
Of course it’s got to be motivating knowing that if you
do screw up he’ll kick your butt himself if he has to right?
Bart
Palaszewski: I don’t know about “motivation,”
but “fear” maybe [laughs].
MMAWeekly:
Funny stuff Bart, thanks for taking the time, we always appreciate
it. Is there anything you’d like to say as we head out?
Bart
Palaszewski: First of all I want to thank Pat Miletich for training
me…thanks to all my teammates for staying on top of me.
Thanks to my other coaches Jeff Curran back in Chicago…Dr.
Doug Mango my stand-up coach…Dave Davis at Dave’s Speed
Center [www.MCSSC.com], he’s a great guy and my strength
and speed has gone through the roof.
For
the fans out there, just come out and support the IFL. I think
it’s one of the greatest organizations out there, if not
the greatest already. I’m ready to fight, I want to get
some recognition and I think beating Menjivar will do that for
me.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
AMAZING
UFC 66 TRAVEL PACKAGE & OTHER ITEMS BEING AUCTIONED
by Randy Harris for The Bennett Family
Randy Harris of Talking Sports Radio has put together an auction
for Ryan Bennett's family. In his ongoing efforts to help out
Ryan’s family, Randy has been obtaining more items to put
up for auction on eBay.
CURRENT
ITEMS BEING AUCTIONED
RYAN BENNETT MEMORIAL FUND ON eBay
-An
amazing “NEW YEAR’S EXTRAVAGANZA” TRAVEL PACKAGE
FROM JOE ROGAN including air for two to Las Vegas, hotel at either
MGM Grand or Mandalay Bay, Joe’s personal tickets to the
UFC on December 30th, tickets to Joe’s comedy show at House
of Blues after the UFC, meet Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, signed
items from Tito and Chuck, and more. Hurry, the bidding on this
stunning package ends Saturday, November 4th!
-Big
John McCarthy worn and signed UFC 8: David vs. Goliath Shirt
-Pride
Final Conflict poster signed by Wanderlei Silva, Fedor Emelianenko,
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and more
-T-shirt
worn and signed by Yushin Okami from UFC 64
-T-shirt
worn and signed by Clay Guida from UFC 64
UPCOMING
ITEMS TO BE AUCTIONED INCLUDE:
-Items
from UFC 65
-Items
from Pride “The Real Deal” in Las Vegas
-Items
from Jens Pulver
ANY
FIGHTER WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO THE MEMORIAL AUCTION
PLEASE CONTACT RANDY HARRIS AT tampabayradio@aol.com
Some
of the items that have already been auctioned include:
-Chuck Liddell signed UFC 62 fight gloves worn in his title defense
against Renato "Babalu" Sobral
-Forrest
Griffin signed UFC 62 fight shorts worn in the rematch with Stephan
Bonnar
-Stephan
Bonnar signed UFC 62 fighter credential
-Pat
Miletich signed UFC 62 credential
-Forrest
Griffin UFC 62 signed hat
-Forrest
Griffin fight used autographed glove
-Many
signed, used items from Hermes Franca from UFC 61 & 62
-Quinton
"Rampage" Jackson's WFA chain
-Ivan
Salaverry's autographed, worn fight shorts from his WFA fight
-Chris
Leben's autographed fight shorts
-UFC
60 full poster signed by Matt Hughes, Royce Gracie, and everyone
else on the card
-UFC
59 full poster signed by Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, Tito Ortiz,
Forrest Griffin and everyone else on the card
-Tito
Ortiz signed beanie worn to the Octagon at Ortiz-Shamrock 3
-Tito
Ortiz signed shirt worn to the Octagon at Ortiz-Shamrock 3
-BJ
Penn signed shirt worn to the Matt Hughes fight at UFC 63
-Melvin
Guillard signed UFC 63 Fight Gloves
If
you have a favorite fighter or player, let Randy know and he
will get something from them to auction off. You can check out
the www.myspace.com/ryan_bennett_memorial site that Randy has
set up to check out all sorts of tributes to Ryan.
ALL
PROCEEDS from the auctioned items goes directly to the Bennett
Family Fund.
ANY
FIGHTERS OR PERSONALITIES THAT WISH TO HELP OUT AND DONATE ITEMS
FOR AUCTION:
Please
mail any auction items to:
Ryan Bennett Charity Auction
PO Box 1363
Pinellas Park, FL 33780
To
get in touch with Randy Harris, please email him at: tampabayradio@aol.com
Source: MMA Weekly
|
STYLE
WARS: RETURN OF THE STRIKERS
As UFC 35 came to a close on January 11, 2002, a glance at the
list of UFC champions at the time indicated something of a convergence
of styles. In an era dominated by ground fighters, Randy Couture,
Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes and Murilo Bustamante stood on top of
the heap mainly due to their work on the mat rather than their
efforts on the feet. Lightweight champ Jens Pulver, a stand-up
fighter, stood out as the exception rather than the rule.
Now,
nearly five years and 30 numbered UFC events later, the championship
landscape looks quite different. Chuck Liddell and Tim Sylvia
reign over their divisions on the strength of powerful striking
and takedown defense while Anderson Silva has just shown America
what technical mastery of Muay Thai can do inside the Octagon.
If
George St. Pierre can best Matt Hughes and Sylvia can hold off
Jeff Monson next month at UFC 65, the roster of UFC belt holders
will be a perfect reverse image of itself circa 2002: Four champions
well-versed in striking, with the lightweight champ, wrestler
Sean Sherk, standing as the odd fighter out.
Empirically,
trends like this exist in every sport where successful strategies
lead to counter-strategies. There was a time when it looked like
bruising running backs like Christian Okoye and Craig “Ironhead”
Hayworth would run roughshod over the NFL. Naturally, teams adjusted
by employing larger defensive linemen to stuff the run. This
in turn led to greater use of versatile, pass-catching backs,
which led to a revival of the 3-4 defensive set, etc., etc.
The
same could be seen as happening at the elite level of MMA, where
the balance of power seems to have swung back in favor of strikers.
Having learned to sprawl effectively, avoid submissions and get
up quickly if taken to the ground, the elite strikers have employed
a strategy that allows them to stay upright just long enough
to deliver a finishing blow.
It
has been said that 80% of fights end up on the ground, but 100%
of fights start on the feet. If a fighter can’t keep a superior
striker down – it’s been a year since either Chuck
Liddell or Mirko CroCop was on his back for any appreciable amount
of time – it’s only a matter of time before that fighter
takes an unscheduled nap.
The
implications of this trend are especially profound for the UFC.
Witnessing the shambles that is the American boxing, kickboxing
and Muay Thai scene, it is no surprise that the best strikers
in the world come from other countries.
Unfortunately,
the UFC has made a devil’s bargain: On the one hand, it
would undoubtedly prefer to have personable, eloquent English-speaking
champions. On the other hand, it has fed its newest fans a steady
diet of striking-heavy matches, touted Griffin vs. Bonnar as
one of the greatest fights ever, and has produced four separate
volumes of Ultimate Knockouts while having no such highlight
reel for submissions. Chicks might dig the long ball, but new
UFC fans dig the KO. So with new and casual fans thirsting for
superior strikers rather than slick submission artists or masters
of the ground and pound, where is the UFC to turn?
Facing
the reality that the fighters most likely to thrill its fans
are foreign-born and given the generally superior level of striking
of those international athletes, the UFC may soon be looking
to employ some more translators.
In
the longer term, it is reasonable to assume that wrestlers will
adjust their techniques, training regimens and game plans to
reflect a new reality, just as NFL defenses did. The dominant
participatory contact sport among American youth is still amateur
wrestling, and as MMA grows in popularity, we could see a greater
number of elite wrestlers transition to mixed martial arts.
The
UFC has already broached this trend through “The Ultimate
Fighter,” which included one relatively raw but superlative
wrestler in each of its first three seasons. While it remains
to be seen whether inserting Josh Koscheck (two pre-TUF fights),
Rashad Evans (five pre-TUF fights) and Matt Hamill (one pre-TUF
fight) into the UFC at such an early stage in their development
will help or hurt their careers, it is certain that including
wrestlers of their caliber in the organization brings preeminence
in the UFC a little closer to the side of the grappling.
In
the end, the true beneficiaries of the tug-of-war between competing
styles are MMA fans, regardless of the repercussions for the
UFC’s marketing department in the immediate future.
Both
strikers and wrestlers can produce exhilarating fights and we
are likely to see a greater number of exciting fights as the
quality of MMA fighters improves.
For
now, with striking the way it is and the UFC showing a willingness
to bring in top international talent to face its champions, it
gives fans the opportunity to cheer for the best fighter, independent
of his nationality.
No
matter what the post-fight interview sounds like, fans will cheer
if the fighter is good and his fights are exciting. After all,
everyone punches in the same language.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Wear
your learning like your watch, in a private pocket; and do not
pull it out, and strike it, merely to show that you have one."
Lord Chesterfield, 1694-1773, British Statesman and Diplomat
|
Palolo
Boxing Card Results
USA BOXING
HAWAII ASSOCIATION INC.
PALOLO B.C. AND KAWANO B.C. PRESENTS THE
2ND ANNUAL CLINT SHELTON MEMORIAL MATCH EVENT
OCTOBER 28, 2006, AT PALOLO DISTRICT PARK
RED
CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
AGE 3 ROUNDS AGE
1).
Tristen Kamaka 10 WON- DEC 65 Jarmes Hashimoto 11
Unattached 1 min. Palolo
2). Kekoa Kapule-Balasi 9 85 Jordaan Salas 10 WON - DEC.
Waipahu 1 min. Ewa Beach
3). Kalei McShane 13 100 Jensen Juan 14 WON- DEC.
Ewa Beach 1 1/2 min. Kalakaua
4). Arnold Dinong 12 WON- DEC 115 Zachary Manangan 12
Waipahu 1 min. Southside
5). Shane Dulatre 19 112 Shane Rellez 20 WON- DEC.
Niimoto 2 min. Wailuku
6). Davin Kim 17 125 Robert Saito 17 WON- RSC (Referee
Ewa Beach 2 min. Southside Stop Contest)
7). Daven Arce 16 152 Joshua Nakagawa 15 WON- DEC.
Ewa Beach 2 min. Southside
------15 MINUTE INTERMISSION- AWARD TO CLINT SHELTON FAMILY------
8). Shane Kaleiwahea- Cuban 21 WON- DEC. 175 Ashley Hooks 25
Evolution 2 min. Wailuku
SEMI-MAIN EVENT
9). Dustin Doshier 23 201 Andrew Matsuda 25 WON- DEC.
Kalakaua 2 min. Kawano
MAIN EVENT
10). Frank Pojsl 29 WON- DEC. 201+ Daly Tipoti 23 Palolo 2 min.
Kawano
Outstanding
Boxer Award - Sponsored by Red Lions University Robert Saito
Outstanding J.O. Boxer Award - Matt Taufetee _____Arnold Dinong
Sportsmanship Award- Sponsored by Red Lions University _Shane
Dulatre
J.O. Sportsmanship Award- Sponsored by Hawaiian Fight Gear._
Zach Manangan
Outstanding Bout Award - Sponsored by Old Republic and Kalakaua
B.C._Daly
_Tipoti vs Frank Pojsl_.
Special Thanks, to our Volunteers - Dr. Myles Suehiro M.D., HPD
Officer Daryl Takata, Shelton Family, Coaches, Boxers, Officials,
Door People, Concession Staff, Ralph Martin, Red Bull, Andy Cruz,
and "YOU" our Boxing Fans. Thank You Again.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF CLINTON ANDREW JOSEPH SHELTON.
OCTOBER 7, 1982 - OCTOBER 8, 2005
|
Update
on Gurgel & Franklin
Jorge Gurgel spoke exclusively with MaxFighting about surgery,
his new school, and Rich Franklin.
MaxFighting
friend and respected jiu jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel spoke
with us today to inform us that he had a successful surgery.
Before his fight with Danny Abbadi, which he won by unanimous
decision, Gurgel tore his ACL during training. This was extremely
disheartening to hear being that he already had his MCL and ACL
replaced on his other leg just recently. He jokingly told MaxFighting
that he now had two "bionic legs". Always in good spirits,
Gurgel was upbeat about the situation and said, "this will
allow me to focus on the business side of things now". He
was referring to the referee duties he frequently performs, the
seminars he often holds, and the brand new facility he had built
near Cincinatti, OH.
The
facility has a full range of state of the art training machines
and several different environments in which to workout in. There
are many fighters, including former middleweight champion Rich
Franklin that train there on a regular basis. He almost always
has other UFC fighters there to work out with him and he has
an open door policy to all who wish to train in MMA.
Jorge
also told us that Rich was recovering nicely from his surgery
and they are both back home in Ohio waiting to heal up and train
again. The two friends had surgery on the same day, Jorge on
his knee and Rich on his nose that was injured in the Anderson
Silva fight. They spent six days in initial recovery and although
Jorge was in some pain he was looking forward to fighting again.......as
soon as the doctor's clear him of course. He told MaxFighting
that he would be out of action for six months, which is May,
2007.
He
finished up the conversation wishing to thank all of the people
who supported him and wished to express his appreciation for
all of the support shown for Franklin after his tough loss.
Jorge
has invited MaxFighting to the grand opening of his new MMA academy
and we will be there to cover the event. You can bet on that.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Battle
of the HeavyWeights
Blazing with momentum and popularity, BodogFight - the cutting
edge mixed martial arts showcase of digital entertainment mogul
Calvin Ayre - sends heavyweight competitors Mark Burch and Mario
Rinaldi into battle Tuesday night on the Men's Outdoor and Recreation
channel, DISH network, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and online at
www.bodogfight.com.
"Mark
and Mario are BodogFight’s largest specimens to date, not
only in physical stature but in character as well," said
Calvin Ayre, founder of the Bodog.com Entertainment Group that
includes acclaimed music label Bodog Music, responsible for the
BodogFight soundtrack. "Both are hard-working, hard-hitting
athletes here to make a statement about their toughness. The
opportunity to represent their country in the USA versus Russia
pay-per-view event has been at the forefront of their training
agenda - this bout determines who goes on and who goes home."
Burch
brings his striking style and 7-1 record to this bout with a
serious mindset. His involvement with BodogFight represents a
life-changing opportunity. A win against Rinaldi would be even
sweeter than his most notable victory to date – a decision
over Polish olympic wrestler and two-time national champion,
Adam Maciejewski.
Rinaldi’s
MMA experience is vastly different to that of Burch’s. A
former collegiate wrestler at Delaware State University, Rinaldi
has overcome injury to prove himself as a worthy Brazilian jiu-jitsu
combatant with a perfect 3-0 MMA record. Viewers will be captivated
with his entertaining demeanor and explosive in-the-ring prowess,
which includes his signature victory back flips.
Which
of the combatants will be crowned the BodogFight favorite fighter?
Viewers will soon be able to cast their vote for the $50,000
prize at www.bodogfight.com, where biographies of all the fighters,
exclusive footage, unedited interviews and confrontations are
available and updated each week. Each of the episodes will air
simultaneously on the Men's Outdoor and Recreation channel and
on BodogFight.com.
At
the forefront of the international MMA scene, the BodogFight
series is available in 43 million homes across America on Men’s
Outdoor and Recreation, DISH Network, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner
and online for world-viewers at BodogFights’s official website,
www.bodogfight.com . Elimination battles, behind-the-scenes training,
interviews with fighters, a soundtrack featuring Bodog Music
artists and lifestyle segments compose the weekly one-hour BodogFight
episodes. The final PPV main event will take place later this
year, featuring a ten bout fight card consisting of three super
fights and the highly-anticipated USA vs. Russia showdown.
About
Bodog.com Entertainment Group
Bodog.com
, based out of San Jose, Costa Rica, is federally licensed by
the Costa Rican and UK governments. Bodog.com Entertainment Group
Founder Calvin Ayre, recognized as a world authority on branding
in digital entertainment, was featured on the cover of Forbes
magazine's recent best-selling "Billionaires" issue.
Bodog.com also has a thriving online community, which includes
history-making World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jamie
Gold (www.bodog.com/poker). Bodog.com Entertainment Group offers
a host of entertainment services, including: online gaming (Bodog.com);
an international record label (Bodog Music.com); a million-dollar
band search competition ( BodogBattleoftheBands.com); a publishing
division (with an online magazine, BodogNation.com, and blog,
BodogBeat.com); an events department renowned for producing parties
that are stunning, chic and celebrity-filled; and an international
television production division, which produces reality television
series, such as BodogFight (BodogFight.com) and Calvin Ayre Wild
Card Poker (CalvinAyre.com ). For more information, contact Media
Relations at 1-866-892-3371, or pr@bodog.com. BODOG is a registered
trademark of Bodog.com Entertainment Group.
Source: Maxfighting
|
IFL
to Award Rings
NEW
YORK, October 24, 2006 -- The International Fight League (IFL)
today announced that it will become the first fight organization
to award the five team members and the coach of the annual season
championship team with custom-designed rings. The awarding of
rings to the league champion is a time-honored tradition in American
team sports. The first full 11 date IFL season will begin in
the first quarter of 2007, with the schedule to be announced
shortly.
"We
are very excited to be able to present all members of our championship
team with a custom-designed ring," said IFL co-founder and
Commissioner Kurt Otto. "The notion of playing for that
championship ring is something fans and competitors in every
team sport can clearly understand, and by awarding rings to our
champions, it makes the IFL team concept a little clearer to
the sports fan and gives each athlete something very unique in
fight sports to aim for."
The
rings were originally designed by Otto, who has also developed
the logos for many of the IFL teams, utilizing his graphic design
background. The detail includes 10 diamonds in 10-carat gold
surrounding the IFL logo in gold inlay in the center. The winning
team, athlete name and championship year will be featured on
each side.
About
the IFL
Founded in 2005 by Kurt Otto, a real estate investor and a life-long
martial arts participant and Gareb Shamus, chairman of Wizard
Entertainment Group, the International Fight League™ (IFL)
was created to establish a centralized and structured organization
that brings the power and influence of the mixed martial arts
industry together. On August 25, 2006, IFL entered into an Agreement
and Plan of Merger with Paligent, Inc. (PGNT:OTCBB), pursuant
to which IFL would emerge as the surviving entity. For further
information regarding the merger, contact Paligent at (212) 755-5461.
For more information on the IFL, go to www.IFL.tv.
Source: IFL
|
Quote
of the Day
"Great
achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is nevër
the result of selfishness."
Napoleon Hill, 1883-1970, American Speaker/Motivational Writer/Author
of "Think and Grow Rich"
|
RIP
Chris Johnson
One
of our students and friends for years passed away last Saturday
at Sandy Beach. He was in the paper last Thursday. Chris was
a happy go lucky guy that always was in a good mood and even
could bring you up when he was not feeling that well. He probably
lived more in his short 31 years than many people in their lifetime.
He had phenominal Jiu-Jitsu technique and was one of those guys
that could disappear for 6 months and then come back and be just
as good as when he left. I use to call him Houdini because he
had a nack of getting out of submissions. Both of his older brothers
Mark and Jeff also took Jiu-Jitsu and Mark is currently a black
belt under Helio Soneca of Gracie Barra so they all had Jiu-Jitsu
in their blood. Chris will be missed by us and our Jiu-Jitsu
family.
The
Johnson family are having a funeral tonight at 7:00 pm at the
United Church of Christ on 1666 Moth-Smith St.
Posted on: Thursday,
October 26, 2006
Perils of Sandy
Beach
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sharing photographs
and stories about Kane'ohe resident Chris Johnson, who died bodyboarding
at Sandy Beach, are, from left, his brothers Jeff and Mark, his
father, Bud, his fiancee, Andrea Esquibel, and his mother, Sandra.
A bodyboarder negotiated
one of the big waves that rolled in yesterday at Sandy Beach.
BRUCE ASATO | The
Honolulu Advertiser
Chris Johnson was
an experienced bodyboarder who tackled big surf.
Chris Johnson learned
to drive a stick shift so he could get to Sandy Beach as a Kailua
teenager, kissed his girlfriend for the first time there, proposed
to her in August under a full moon at Sandys and, last Saturday,
died there while bodyboarding.
Johnson's mother,
Sandra, worried about the youngest of her three boys perhaps
more than other moms. As a nursing manager at Kuakini Medical
Center, she knows all too well about the broken necks and twisted
backs that Sandys claims.
"That was his
love and I knew he wouldn't stop going there," she said
yesterday, just before she and her family made arrangements for
her son's funeral Saturday night at Community of Christ Church.
"I asked him to be extra careful and not take any undue
chances. He just said, 'Don't worry, mom.'"
John Clark, who
wrote the acclaimed "Beaches of Hawai'i" books series
and recently retired as deputy chief of the Honolulu Fire Department,
said the fact that Johnson was an experienced waterman, championship
bodyboarder and knew his limits in the ocean only underscores
how treacherous Sandys can be when O'ahu's South Shore is pounding.
"Whether you're
board surfing or bodysurfing there, you really have to know what
you're doing," he said. "You really have to be good."
Yesterday, the National
Weather Service forecast 4- to 6-foot waves along the South Shore
that should last through Monday. So lifeguards at Sandys yesterday
planted red flags in the sand and warned beginners to stay out
of the water.
Clark worked for
two years as a lifeguard at Sandys in the 1970s and saw "a
lot of really bad cuts, a lot of dislocations, a lot of limb
breaks, like arms and legs. Sandys is so shallow and it's got
a steep powerful wave that breaks on very shallow water. At low
tide, a lot of times it looks like you're coming down on dry
sand."
Seven people drowned
at Sandys from 1993 through 2005, according to Dan Galanis, epidemiologist
of the state Department of Health's injury prevention and control
program. Only one drowning — in 1996 — involved a surfer,
Galanis said.
Christian Morris
of Kahala and John Felice of Waialua, both surfing instructors
and photographers with the Hans Hedemann Surf School, stared
into the surf yesterday and considered the dangers of Sandys.
Morris has suffered
too many reef and rock scrapes to count. "That happens every
time you go out," Morris said. "And I've twisted my
back, too. But I don't really think about dying. If it's your
passion, you're always going to be in the water."
But Phil Wilson,
a taxidermist tourist from Wasilla, Alaska, learned his lesson
10 years ago at Sandys.
He bodyboarded near
Waikiki, went looking for more challenging waves and heard about
Sandys for the first time.
"The lifeguards
said, 'Don't go in.' Like an idiot, I did," Wilson said.
"I got pounded in the sand and bloodied both my knees. After
that I got out of the water and never went back in."
Johnson, 31, was
well aware of his limits, said his family and fiancee, Andrea
Esquibel, 25.
While he was happy
to jump into 8-foot waves, Johnson would stay out with Esquibel
on 12-foot days on the North Shore.
"He would say,
'It's too big. Can't handle,'" Esquibel said.
Johnson grew up
in Kailua, a clever kid who liked to play soccer and baseball.
But by the time he got to Kalaheo High School, surfing, bodyboarding
and the beach had become the focus of his life.
All of the Johnsons
— Bud, Sandra, and older brothers Mark and Jeff — loved
the beach. But none of them burned for it like Chris.
"He would never
get out of the water," Mark said.
After he graduated
from Kalaheo in 1993, Bud and Sandra argued with their youngest
child about going to college in Colorado — away from the
beach lifestyle he loved.
"We wanted
to get him into an atmosphere that would hopefully attract him
to other things," Bud said. "He didn't want to go to
college but our contract was that he agreed to go for two years
and after that if he wanted to quit, he'd quit. So after two
years, he quit. And he became a snowboard bum."
For the next five
years, Johnson worked various jobs like short order cook or installing
coaxial cable — while taking surfing vacations to places
like Mexico and entering bodyboarding contests at artificial
wave parks, which he won.
When he came back
home to Kailua, Johnson enrolled at Windward Community College
and got various jobs, like delivering pizzas for the 'Aikahi
Pizza Hut.
There, Johnson met
Esquibel, a cook, and his life started to slowly change.
They eventually
moved in together, bought a house in Kane'ohe and three years
ago Johnson began to pursue a career in real estate with unusual
passion.
Then in August,
after dinner, he took Esquibel to Sandy Beach where he had previously
buried a plastic red box in the sand. He dug out the box, pulled
out a candy blow-pop ring and got down on one knee.
Then he produced
a real engagement ring — one that Esquibel and he had seen
at Tiffany & Co.
On Saturday, Esquibel
was sitting at a Sandys lifeguard stand when someone ran up and
told the lifeguards that a bodyboarder was in trouble and had
gotten separated from his leash.
Johnson's brother,
Mark, said he understood that the accident happened at the Sandys
break called Half Point.
But a Honolulu Police
Department incident log said Johnson hit his head at Pipe Littles,
"a super shallow wave where you take off right in front
of this rocky point," Clark said. "If you get caught
in the barrel and you don't make it past the rocks, when you
wipe out, you're going right onto the rocks."
When she saw Johnson's
legs and boardshorts from the back of the ambulance, Esquibel
dropped to the ground.
Sandra Johnson said
the irony is that her son had found other, more important things
beyond life at the beach.
He had originally
disagreed with his mother about becoming an organ donor. Only
after his death on Saturday did she learn that Johnson, on his
own, had quietly changed the donor status on his driver's license
on his birthday in June.
"The beach
was still important but so were other things all of a sudden,"
Sandra Johnson said, reaching over and touching Esquibel. "The
beach wasn't everything anymore."
Advertiser staff writers Peter Boylan and Mike Gordon contributed
to this report.
Reach Dan Nakaso
at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser |
Boxing
at Palolo Gym Tonight!
USA BOXING
HAWAII ASSOCIATION INC.
PALOLO B.C. AND KAWANO B.C. PRESENTS THE
2ND ANNUAL CLINT SHELTON MEMORIAL MATCH EVENT
OCTOBER 28, 2006, AT PALOLO DISTRICT PARK
RED
CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
AGE 3 ROUNDS AGE
1).
Tristen Kamaka 10 65 Jarmes Hashimoto 11
Unattached 1 min. Palolo
2). Kekoa Kapule-Balasi 9 85 Jordaan Salas 10
Waipahu 1 min. Ewa Beach
3). Kalei McShane 13 100 Jensen Juan 14
Ewa Beach 1 1/2 min. Kalakaua
4). Arnold Dinong 12 115 Zachary Manangan 12
Waipahu 1 min. Southside
5). Shane Dulatre 19 112 Shane Rellez 20
Niimoto 2 min. Wailuku
6). Davin Kim 17 125 Robert Saito 17
Ewa Beach 2 min. Southside
7). Daven Arce 16 152 Joshua Nakagawa 15
Ewa Beach 2 min. Southside
------15 MINUTE INTERMISSION- AWARD TO CLINT SHELTON FAMILY------
8). Shane Kaleiwahea- Cuban 21 175 Ashley Hooks 25 Evolution
2 min. Wailuku
SEMI-MAIN EVENT
9). Dustin Doshier 23 201 Andrew Matsuda 25
Kalakaua 2 min. Kawano
MAIN EVENT
10). Frank Pojsl 29 201+ Daly Tipoti 23 Palolo 2 min. Kawano
Outstanding
Boxer Award - Sponsored by Red Lions University _______________
Outstanding J.O. Boxer Award - Matt Taufetee ___________________________
Sportsmanship Award- Sponsored by Red Lions University ________________
J.O. Sportsmanship Award- Sponsored by Hawaiian Fight Gear.______________
Outstanding Bout Award - Sponsored by Old Republic and Kalakaua
B.C._______
______________________________
Special Thanks, to our Volunteers - Dr. Myles Suehiro M.D., HPD
Officer Daryl Takata, Shelton Family, Coaches, Boxers, Officials,
Door People, Concession Staff, Ralph Martin, Red Bull, Andy Cruz,
and "YOU" our Boxing Fans. Thank You Again.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF CLINTON ANDREW JOSEPH SHELTON.
OCTOBER 7, 1982 - OCTOBER 8, 2005
|
The
Ultimate Fighter 4: The First Middleweight Advances to Finals
They recap the Carter vs. Serra fight and I was proud of Matt
a little more after watching it. Serra spent a lot of time helping
others this season and it was good to see him get a win for himself.
In
the house a plot starts to form out of boredom in Pete Spratt's
mind and it involves running head first in to a wall. His intention
is to bust through it wearing football shoulder pads and a helmet.
He measured the wall with his eyes on the inside and on the outside
of the house preparing the blueprint for his stunt. Why he would
choose a wall that leads to the backyard I have no idea. It would
have been easier for him to break down an inside wall, but hey........who
doesn't want to see someone break themselves in half, right?
Mikey
Burnett decides he has had enough of the talk and takes the mission
on himself to make it through the wall. Only, Mikey decides to
go without any protective gear. Unless, of course you count the
swimming goggles he is wearing. The first attempt, started in
a traditional football three point stance, makes some small holes
in the wall and sends Mikey to the ground for his efforts. | |